hey guys
have a MY00 uk turbo classic running 325bhp with a fmic. Oil has hit maximum of 115C on a hot day last week and got me a bit worried.
was thinking of getting an oil cooler fitted to be on the safe side, but dont know much about them. would appreciate any feedback on those of you who have one. are they worth it, how much lower will the oil run and how much and where is the best place to have it fitted. cheers. nitin

 

I cant help with the temps but you might find a few people warn you away from large coolers & lengthy pipework as it reduces oil press'. I would argue this as I run a mahoosive HKS cooler with around 2-3m hose & keep a good 5-6bar normal running, you should monitor this b4 & after if you fit one. Also if you are going to buy one then I would advise you avoid the cheap varietys & go for proven designs.

 

I have a mocal oil cooler fitted and i've never seen temps rise above 95 degrees, even after a sustained long run out.

 

I have a mocal for sale if anyones interested complete with filter relocation kit.....it just needs fitting!

 

Got a Mocal one too, fitted by Paul @ Zen Performance. Before fitted, track day temps were running around 110 degrees, after fitting, only up to 100! On road, doesn't get above 95. I have a thermostatic one with filter relocation, running an uprated RCM oil pump to get over any pressure issues.

 

An rcm oil pump won't increase oil pressure. It is just less prone to failing.

 

hi mate, how much you sell it? and is it easy to fit, i mean for a subaru mechanic?
cheers
Daniel

 

Another vote for Mocal. I had one on my old Clio and it totally controlled oil temps under any condition - quarter miling, fast road, track driving. Under hard use it would normally run up to 120-130C oil temps, once the cooler was on, the most I ever saw was 100C on a long autobahn cruise at 130-140mph. Had an oilstat in the sandwich plate, a run of about a metre to the 16-row cooler and a metre back again, never had any problems with it at all, apart from obviously there is now more oil in the system so you might need to adjust your dipstick a little.
Definitely worthwhile if you've got oil temp problems and has the added bonus of keeping the whole engine cooler as well - I found my water temps were better controlled.

 

thats great guys, thanks for your help. anyone know where i can get a motul one fitted? cheers

nitin

 

Zen Performance.co.uk

 

I`m sure API in Leamington would help you out...

I`m going to invest in one myself soon...

 

I've been toying with fitting a mocol oil cooler for some time, but always been concerned about airlocks being generated during oil changes.
From what I've read, think i'm correct in saying, it appears that the oil return outlet on the rad. needs to be sited higher than the inlet to push out any air...but, being a little unsure, I thought I'd see what effect simply relocating the oil filter away from the hot exhaust manifold and into a cooler area with airflow to it would have, as I'd seen lower oil temps when running without an undertray on...











I've now been running for a couple of mths. with this now and have experienced a drop in temps similar to that without the undertray, around 10degrees C.

Oil pressure remains the same as before at tickover [4bar] but there is a slight drop at higher revs, 5.9bar, was 6.3, but this would probably be improved with a shorter pipe run...I had to relocate to the nearside inner wing as the offside is full of fmic pipework. FWIW I'll proberbly eventually fit the rest of the kit [oil rad and sandwich plate/stat] once sure of the oil change, priming/bleeding proceedure, but thought I'd try this first and share it with you all

 

i have similair to yours s5coob,it was already like it when i imported it,at 1st i was searching for the rad part of the cooler for like 10 mins, then just assumed they reelocated without fittiing a rad.

in nthe summer i hit 95 max,which isnt bad,it was at 40 before i even started the car onn the hottest day !

my filter is behind the driveersside headlight

 

cool will give a few places a call tomorrow and see where i can get the best fitted price. cheers guys.

 

s5oob, whats the wire/tube thing on your sump plug? is it an oil return?

 

A temp sensor i guess.


Has anyone re-located the oil cooler to the top mount location to get a cool feed from the intercooler scoop ? or is it an issue with it being up high ?

Minty.

 

Minty, I've seen cars with them there before, at TOTB or some other Jap show event, so guess it must work ok. (When moving!).

 

As Minty says, it's the temp. sensor wire.

Minty, I'd planned to position my cooler where the tmic used to be, got as far as a trial fit...


But, having since found out that the outlet needs to be positioned higher than the inlet, I either need to place it elsewhere or get a differently shaped rad.

Good job I had it given to me

 

could you flip it around (lengthways) will one be higher than the other that way ???

 

I went with one of these shiney puppies!


fitting it this weekend, fair bit of fabrication involved coz its for a 2006 and I have a p1

 

Thats exactly how i was thinking of fitting oen to mine though.

 

Would be interested to hear how you get on with this fella, especially with regards to the rad. position and how you primed the system and pressure drops, if any.

Good luck

 

will prime the pipes and the rad first, will be a small air lock but nothing unmanageable

I expect 0.5-1 bar drop (have an RCM pump but that doesnt really increase pressure)

hardest part is messing around with the modene and blocking off associated water feeds

 

How come you're losing the modene? Thought that keeping it functional would maintain a fast warm up from coldstart.

 

need to in order to fit the sandwich plate, would take piccies to explain but camera is knackered

 

had similar issues with my classic, mines now sorted after oil cooler fitted, worth having done, even though mine sonly decatted and remapped

 

Is it really just an issue of the oil filter being by the exhaust pipes? I have all my pipes wrapped and an cool air feed going to the filter and yet i still see the same temps...98 deg norm running, 105 pushing some and once had 110 really kicking it for ages...

Not sure about oil cooler with this air locks issue...

 

stupid question time, perhaps...

Why are you guys scared of air locks? Would it stop the oil rotating correctly through the system?

What kind of design do car manufacturers employ in the block etc to stop this occuring post oil change on a normal engine? Doesn't all the oil end up in the sump after you turn the engine off anyway (replaced with a whole load of air, further up the block)?

Sorry for numpty questions, I'm just trying to learn

 

I'm thinking it's partly the fact that the filter is in a cooler place, so the difference between heat radiated out and heat absorbed will be greater (but probably only makes a little bit of difference as I'm guessing the oil doesn't sit around in the filter for too long anyway).

The real reason may be the pipe run outside of the block, which probably cools the oil down as the oil has time to radiate away some heat whilst it's outside the block.

Note: Purely speculating above

 

Okay chap, I still think I'll be going the hole hog and having a rad included...
it will calm my nerves on my first ever track day...

If you have a sandwich plate job but filter in same location, I guess you'll not be able to empty the oil in the cooler assembly during oil changes? Anyone come across this issue and how did you get around it?